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Frédérique
01-07-2013, 10:09 AM
There’s a new way that women talk. I don’t recall hearing it ten years ago, but nowadays you bump into it more and more, and I FINALLY came across begrudged acknowledgement of this trend, if it is indeed a trend, I mean. It’s referred to variously as “creaky voice,” or “vocal fry,” or even “annoying girl voice.” My sister, who often has to listen to my incessant grumbling about human devolution in front of the TV, came across some info regarding this VERY annoying way of female speaking I had noticed. She thought it was called “crackletalk,” but, on further examination, it’s actually creaky voice...

This is the new way that young women talk, so, if some of you MtF crossdressers wish to “pass” as young women you might want to take note of this linguistic agony. People really hate it. It’s been described as a “raspy or croaking sound injected (usually) at the end of a sentence,” or “the sound of oil popping on the pan,” an indication that the female in question is educated, upwardly mobile, urban-dwelling, and, of course, American. This can be the key to passage for the MtF crossdresser – just learn how to creak and be vocally annoying!

Apparently, women use something called “speech power tools” to build relationships. Enter the vocal fry feature, which somehow communicates something by way of annoyance to other, equally annoying individuals. Using the word “like” incessantly for providing an answer that sounds more like a question is another example of a speech power tool. It’s a lot like being on this site, with all kinds of crossdressers, and I’m wording things a certain way to locate sympathetic human beings, in this case by using the written word. I can understand why these annoying features come about, but, as soon as the vocal hits the fry I can’t hear what’s being said due to the annoyance generated – is this progress?

Women use body language to communicate, but what is a low smoker’s grumble punctuating one’s sentences trying to communicate? I read that this is evidence of an ongoing masculinization of the higher pitched female voice, i.e. evolution right before your very eyes (I mean ears), since women are working with men more and more, and the male voice traditionally got more respect than the female voice. I read that somewhere, so please don’t shoot the messenger – I’m just trying to figure out why the female voice is starting to sound like frogs croaking at midnight, OK? I guess women can blame men for “vocal fry” reaching epidemic proportions in the 2010’s...

I can’t think of a single instance of a man employing creaky voice, but males don’t have the innate powers of communication that females have, do they? Personally, I think it has a lot to do with breathing. I should know – as the proud owner of a chronic speech deficiency, I have come in contact with speech therapists and their insistence on correct breathing techniques. They made a movie out of this: The King’s Speech. I think these young women of today start talking, and they try to fit in too many words in one breath, ending up struggling to reach the far shore and gasping for air. That’s what it sounds like to me, and I hear it every day. The “fry” has become a prestigious characteristic of contemporary female speech, for better or worse...

It’s a defect of sorts, because you begin to assume that the woman in question isn’t worth listening to, even though she IS certainly worth a listen. This is a shame, and an interesting example of a form of communication working against itself. I mean, American women never used to talk like this. The other day, on a TV commercial for Verizon, all a young woman had to say was the name of the company, but it came out, “Vraaaazaaaa,” making her sound a bit like Lucille Ball. BTW, if you want to hear an excellent example of vocal fry, tune in one of Giada De Laurentiis’ cooking shows on the Food Network – she really knows how to creak her voice with style. This reminds me - vocal fry does have its benefits. Giada is 42, but she sounds 21!

I like the word crackletalk – it has a nice ring to it! Crackletalkers of the world, UNITE! Truth be told, it’s already too late, and the genders are finally moving closer together, at least verbally. I’m telling you, if the MtF crossdresser can master the vocal creak, the vocal fry, and the vocal crackle, passing in public will be a breeze, as long as your femme presentation is up to par, that is...

Have you noticed this trend in female speech? How can you miss it? :idontknow:

Kate Simmons
01-07-2013, 10:25 AM
Well Freddy, I was passing (or whatever) before all of this came out and I just use my regular voice although my vocal focus is on different things than guys usually say. Anyway, if anything, I cackle not crackle(I'm part Witch), but what the hey? I'll leave that to Rice Crispies.:battingeyelashes::)

Ann Louise
01-07-2013, 10:31 AM
Holy Moly - Here's a youtube on this...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbkETbHpyF4

there's a bunch more up there. Elfin

Momarie
01-07-2013, 10:54 AM
Freddy,

Why be so negative and critical all the time.

Aren't you ever happy, content or satisfied?

Lorileah
01-07-2013, 11:28 AM
The valley girl thing went away. The Betty Boop thing went away. The southern belle went away. This will go away. It is just an attempt to sound like the upper crust socialites that were over exaggerated in movies (even clear back to the 30's, the clenched jaw, the contralto tone, the bored with the whole scene cadence, the emphasis on words more in the middle of the section and then usually to imply sarcasm). Unfortunately "like" and "ya know" and "uh" are now ingrained. If you go back and listen to the reporter you will see that she even uses a vocal inflection common with women where their voice rises at the end of the statement in almost a questioning aspect.

Maria S
01-07-2013, 11:40 AM
Many women have relatively "manly" voices. Trying to put too much effort makes you stick out like a sore thumb. I just use my own voice, maybe a little more gentle and slower. Also I watch what I say. I cut out any swearing and use words that women use more that contributes to the lovely gender they are and that I want to be like.

Maria

TeresaL
01-07-2013, 12:00 PM
I wanted some practice so,gulp, here goes. That is, if the forum rules allow "passage" of our voices.

http://soundcloud.com/teresa_l/sounds-from-monday-morning-1/s-N2K40

Frédérique
01-07-2013, 04:41 PM
Freddy, why be so negative and critical all the time. Aren't you ever happy, content or satisfied?

Sorry, I thought I was trying my best to be humorous this time around. Just reporting what I see, I mean hear, and presenting it as an entertaining piffle, in lieu of more serious topics, but mainly I wrote this to get nearer to 2200 posts! Let me just say that it’s hard to be uncritical at times, but I mean (absolutely) no harm, same as always...
:o

Wait a minute – you’re criticizing ME! Aren’t YOU ever happy? :naughty

Momarie
01-07-2013, 05:31 PM
I'm very happy Freddy.

And I don't need a bunch of verbose posts :chatterbox: like you...to feel so. :naughty

ReluctantDebutant
01-07-2013, 06:09 PM
The valley girl thing went away. ... The southern belle went away.

Damn those two were my only shot :)

CassandraSmith
01-07-2013, 06:47 PM
I'm very happy Freddy.

And I don't need a bunch of verbose posts :chatterbox: like you...to feel so. :naughty

Someone needs a hug ;-)

TGMarla
01-07-2013, 07:21 PM
Sheesh! Must roll my eyes and mutter "Oh brudder!"......or perhaps "Oh sistah!"

I'll not be employing this in order to pass. I figure everyone knows I'm crossdressed anyway.

Funny stuff!

Amanda22
01-07-2013, 07:48 PM
I always enjoy Freddy's posts. I hadn't heard of this trend. I'll have to ask my wife about it since she teaches mostly female grad students.

Angela Campbell
01-07-2013, 07:56 PM
Don't care for the "vocal frys" I will try the "vocal curly fries" instead. Or maybe "vocal chili fries"

Alice Torn
01-07-2013, 08:06 PM
I noticed something about it on Yahoo News, but was too tired to read it. YES, i have also noticed that females have changed some in their voice sound, and the way they talk, for a few decades now. I doubt if i could ever have a passing voice, though, no matter.

Mona
01-07-2013, 11:06 PM
I wonder if it is the natural evolution of young girls the past 10-15 years talking in a manner where they seem to swallow their voice at the end of a phrase, I think they think it makes them sound cute. I call it chipmunk voice.
Mona

Jen60
01-08-2013, 05:39 PM
Since I read Freddy's post, I've begun to notice the "FRY" all around me! AAAAAAARRRRRGGGGHHHH!

Ressie
01-08-2013, 05:54 PM
I think my voice does this sometimes unconsciously. I've hear this happen to guys when they're tired. I haven't noticed it being feminine, but it seems that people have this condition when they're trying to sound intellectual. It just seems odd that someone had to give this vocal inflection a name, and it's also weird that it's being taught as a vocal technique for singers. Britney Spears was doing this on "Baby one more time" about 14 years ago, and I found it annoying and phony sounding. OH<sizzle baby baby

kimdl93
01-08-2013, 11:16 PM
I must not be paying attention....I have no idea what this is about. But for the record, I love Betty Boop...poo poo path doo!

Beverley Sims
03-04-2013, 04:44 PM
I tend to use a female vocalist and sing songs in key with her.
Copying the timbre and tone to get it right.
Sing over and over again.
It gets easier.

DonnaT
03-05-2013, 03:57 PM
Lauren Bacall was known for her husky voice

ReineD
03-05-2013, 04:59 PM
The valley girl thing went away. The Betty Boop thing went away. The southern belle went away. This will go away. It is just an attempt to sound like the upper crust socialites that were over exaggerated in movies (even clear back to the 30's, the clenched jaw, the contralto tone, the bored with the whole scene cadence, the emphasis on words more in the middle of the section and then usually to imply sarcasm).

Yes. :) And none of my sons' female friends come remotely close to sounding like the vocal-fry youtube video in post #3.

There have always been parodies of affected speech and I can't think of a better example than the "Daisy upper-crust talk" in the Great Gatsby. Compare her voice inflections to her friend Jordan, who speaks in an unaffected voice:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8zeMXCxlmE

Freddy, your post reminds me of the people who poke fun of the way that stereotypical gay men speak:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlHC1h1Jcws

Krististeph
03-05-2013, 09:49 PM
Freddy,

Why be so negative and critical all the time.
Aren't you ever happy, content or satisfied?

Hi Mo,

Not that Frederique needs and help, but please let me comment- Fre has written essays for years here, always consistent in style and mein, always well structured. that takes a tremendous amount of self discipline. to simply do something well, and do it over and over is a rare skill.

The point of her essays are to pose questions that may reflect deeper meanings to those who read, or answer. But you know what? do not take my word for it. Consider someone else's take on it: "The formulation of a problem is often more essential than its solution, which may be merely a matter of mathematical or experimental skill." -AE

Frederique forms questions.

Nuff said.

noeleena
03-06-2013, 04:55 AM
Hi,


Oh deary me, what can i say, other than never heard it down under, or over the ditch in Austraila , oh well ill just have to stay with what i know , i thought our lingo was quite good as it is, of cause we speak the Queens English er......okay Kiwi English,

...noeleena...

sometimes_miss
03-06-2013, 09:23 AM
Vocal fry doesn't make you sound like a woman; it makes you sound like an immature idiot female. If that's your goal, well, fine. I'd rather aim for a better class of woman to emulate instead of the rotten ones (if your S.O. talks like that, well, sorry, but it's no better a vocal behavior than the addition of 'you know' to the end of every sentence, or the new trend to say the word 'seriously' whenever someone states something; it just sounds moronic). Just because it's a popular behavior, doesn't make it attractive.

VeronicaMoonlit
03-06-2013, 09:54 AM
I'm inwardly laughing at the media, because this "Vocal fry" is not new...it's just a variation of a dialect that began being adopted by young women 40 years ago at least. Valspeak and the Highland-Hockaday accent mentioned in the classic Preppy Handbook are close relatives of it.

And yes, some vocal coaches for transfolk DO teach features of this dialect to transwomen since it's perceived as feminine, including the "high rising terminal". A trans acquaintance of of mine who is a linguist says it's the "Midland's dialect" brought to the US and then evolved in southern california she said that "There's a whole class of variables associated with youth in this country, including fronting of rounded vowels, lengthened /r/ and creaky voice." She said it's the "prestige" dialect for young women now which is why it's spread throughout the country.

If you ever watched Fact's of Life, Lisa Whelchel's character of Blair has the Texas variant (the Highland-Hockaday).

And the "Delta Delta Delta" sketch some years back on Saturday Night Live showcased the midwest version. Yes, the young women in the Chicago suburbs did talk like that.

Sarah Michelle Geller uses a variant of it in Buffy too.

Katharine Hepburn had the woodsy upper-class New England variant, watch her early movies.

Veronica

Stacy Myrdin
03-06-2013, 11:53 AM
I must say I never heard it where I live , must be english , not in my language , sorry galls :p

Julogden
03-06-2013, 12:19 PM
I find vocal fry to be annoying beyond description. It will go away eventually, I hope.

Carol